Sheffield United are facing competition from Lincoln City over a future move for Oxford United‘s Ciaron Brown.
The defender was a man in demand in the summer, with previous reports from TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey suggesting that he was a target for Millwall, while West Bromwich Albion were also credited with fleeting interest in late July.
January War Beckons
However, Oxford may face the prospect of selling their star centre-back, with Alan Nixon now reporting through his Patreon page that two new Championship clubs are interested in a move to sign the 28-year-old.
Now in his final year under contract at the League One club, a cut-price deal could be available to both Sheffield United and Lincoln City, both of whom have now started to evaluate whether to make a move at the start of 2027.
Defensive reinforcements had been a key area of interest for Chris Wilder’s side over the previous window, having scoured the market for multiple targets, most notably with a failed move to sign Leicester City’s Harry Souttar.
They made a late move to sign Coventry City‘s Liam Kitching on loan, backing up the existing options of Japhet Tanganga and Mark McGuinness, who had been told during pre-season that he was free to exit Bramall Lane.
Lincoln meanwhile have made a major summer move to recruit Romanian centre-back Andrei Coubiș, but have lost two parts of their defensive depth with Tom Hamer and Tendayi Darikwa stuck on the sidelines, the latter out for the season.
Brown has been a regular figure under Aaron Ramsey this season, playing in all six of the U’s opening League One fixtures this season, partnering Michal Helik at the back.
Sheffield United Must Press On With Deal
Chris Wilder highlighted that defensive reinforcements were a key focus in his summer window, and after a hectic few months which ultimately ended with just Liam Kitching arriving on loan late in the window, January could be the time to address their depth concerns.
While Kitching’s arrival has enabled Sheffield United to be able to play a back three system when needed, their lack of options for rotation is a massive worry, and in Ciaron Brown they could have the perfect solution.
With budgeting being a key worry behind their late-window inactivity, and perhaps the main factor behind the failure to sign Harry Souttar, Brown’s contract situation at Oxford United could mean they can find a Championship-ready option at a very low price.
Oxford’s own financial worries, which saw them hit with a transfer embargo in the summer, may mean that they are open to striking a deal, but given their promising start under Aaron Ramsey, some serious thought should be given before January as to whether sanctioning a sale is wise if they are in contention for promotion.
